destination 2010 staff perspective

Responsibilities: As Executive Assistant, I serve as the chief of staff to the Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer, providing executive level administrative operations support services. I relieve the VP/CFO of a variety of responsibilities, and represent him on various committees and to constituents on the campus, in the CSU, and in the community. In addition, I provide leadership and direction for the University Records Management Program, facilitate the development and review of ABA and University policies and procedures, and provide comprehensive services for the VP/CFO’s special projects and initiatives.

What makes you most proud of the work you do? I take pride in being able to relieve the Vice President of the various pressures of his job. I’m proud that he trusts my decision-making ability and knows that I will represent him, the division and the University in a professional manner.

What makes you proud to be a member of the Sac State community? I truly enjoy the dedicated, knowledgeable people that I have had the pleasure to work with over the years. Each one of us has contributed to making this University a place we can be proud of.

In a word, how would you describe Sac State? Energetic

What is the most important or exciting aspect of Destination 2010 to you? Destination 2010 gave the University and its employees a unified focus. The exciting part is seeing the goals accomplished – the new Wayfinder signs, the electronic billboard, Sac State’s logo on Modoc. These are all inviting. They say -- “We are here.”

What is your idea of a welcoming campus? A welcoming campus is easy to navigate and provides excellent customer service. This means courtesy, civility -- all the ways that signify a positive attitude to our internal customers as well as visitors from the surrounding community. A negative attitude sends the wrong message, especiallyto first-time visitors.

Now that we are nearing our destination, how do you think we have done? We have done an excellent job! We will have made some remarkable accomplishments by next year. The tangibles: We have already completed the Broad Athletic Field House, the student apartment style housing project recently opened, and the Wellness Center is well underway. We have a new bookstore and a new parking structure for students. The intangibles: We have created an identity for ourselves that we can all rally around.

What Destination 2010 accomplishments do you think will have the most impact in the future? I think developing residential options for students, faculty and staff will have the biggest impact in the future. Providing housing options makes it easier to attract good people. This fits well with the president’s vision of Sac State becoming a destination campus. By living on campus, students will be more immersed in college life, have a better experience and feel more connected to the University, increasing the possibility of becoming active alumni and future donors. This is the first step toward building the culture we desire – a campus with college spirit.

Additional comments about ABA, Sac State or Destination 2010? The ABA division has been fortunate to have a leader who is not only progressive but had a clear vision for D2010. He is people-oriented and values the collective knowledge of the ABA staff. Upon his arrival on campus, he launched a division-wide communication and change-management plan to ensure that his principles and vision were communicated clearly and frequently. He enabled all ABA employees to participate in the process and encouraged their input.